black_sailsfandomcom-20200222-history
Billy Bones
William Manderly, better known as Billy Bones, was the Boatswain of the pirate ship Walrus. After Gates became the captain of the Ranger he was promoted to Quartermaster. He is key to smooth operations on the ship, and is widely assumed to be the next quartermaster should anything happen to Gates. Billy’s belief in the righteousness of the pirate cause will be continually tested as he’s drawn deeper and deeper into Captain Flint’s plans for the future. Biography Background Season One Billy was tasked with showing John Silver how things worked on the Walrus after Silver joined the crew. He showed Silver the kitchen, and explained to him that no man was given special treatment, including the captain, when it came to things like food and drink, as all men were equal on the ship. He was later sent by Gates with Captain Flint when Flint went to see Richard Guthrie. Gates explained that somebody needed to make sure the captain didn't get out of hand when Richard inevitably told Flint no, and that he trusted Billy would handle it. Things did, in fact, get out of hand when Flint physically assaulted Guthrie. During this encounter, Bones pulled his pistol on Flint, but before he could do anything, they were interrupted by Captain Hume and his men. Bones and Flint worked together to defeat Hume and his men. Sensing that Bones' loyalty to him wasn't absolute, Flint explained to Bones that there was a war coming against all of civilization and that only he, Captain Flint, could lead the crew in the fight. Bones had his loyalty tested severely when, following Flint's successful duel against Singleton, Flint handed Bones a blank piece of paper that he had "pulled" from Singleton's body. Bones could either expose Flint to the crew as a liar by showing them the blank paper or he could pretend that it was the missing schedule. Bones chose loyalty to Flint and told the crew that the paper was indeed the missing schedule of the Urca de Lima. After the crew's focus changed, Billy confided in Gates about the page being a fake. Flint called them both into a meeting, and explained that while Singleton might not have been a thief, somebody on board was. As they were trying to figure out whom, Billy remembered that they never checked Silver, and that he was the only person who could have stolen it. When Silver caught on that he was a suspect and escaped the ship, Bones joined Gates and Flint when they headed to shore to find him. They found him, and were able to chase him to the Wrecks, but lost him during the panic. By the time they found him, he had memorized the page and destroyed it to assure his survival. While Bones was unwilling to trust Silver, he went along with the plan to let him live for the sake of finding the treasure. To attempt to befriend the crew, Silver informed Billy of the remaining remnants of the failed mutiny, the only one of actual threat being Morley. When Bones talked to Morley, Morley explained that Bones and the rest of the crew were left in the dark of the true plans of Flint, all of which involved Miranda Barlow. After talking with Morley, Bones began to question his loyalty to Flint, and began to question it further after Morley was killed during the careening of the ship. He told Gates that he was afraid to stand up to Flint, and he felt this was a weakness on his part. After the "Walrus" was prepared, they began their chase of the Andromache, whose cannons they were told would be given to the Walrus. While looking for it, Flint went to Bones to talk, seeing his distrust growing. Bones asked him who Barlow was, and Flint told him that the truth was not as fun as the rumors that were known across the island. He told Bones that he shared his life with a woman who shared his love of books, but they were interrupted before he could ease Bones' fears further. As they prepared, Bones was forced to inform Dufresne, the ship's accountant, that he would have to join the crew when they boarded the Andromache. Dufresne was scared, as he had never even fired a gun before, let alone fought or killed anyone. As they neared closer to the boarding, Bones constantly attempted to calm Dufresne, who kept trying to show why he shouldn't join the fight. Moments before the boarding began; Bones told Dufresne that in the entire history of the Walrus, no man had ever died on his first boarding, giving enough courage to Dufresne to fight. After the battle, Bones found Dufresne covered in the blood of another man, but alive. Dufresne later told Bones that when he thought back on it, men had indeed died their first time, but thanked Bones for lying to him. Before he left Dufresne in Dyfed's quarters, he found and took a letter addressed from Barlow, and took the note to read later. After finding out that the Andromache had a bunker, making it impossible to take the cannons, Bones talked with Logan, who feared that the Captain wouldn't leave the ship before daylight. When Bones was unable to lie and assure Logan that they would leave, he walked away and went to read the letter. To his dismay, Barlow's letter claimed that Flint was looking to leave the pirate life, and was willing to trade his crew for his freedom. After a failed attempt by Lars to get a bomb into the bunker protecting the cannons and the Andromache's remaining crew, Bones took Gates aside and told him what he found. Gates told him that even if it's true now it was not the best time to worry about it. They were interrupted by Flint, who asked what they were talking about. Gates told him that Bones had come up with a new plan. Bones was able to think up something; he told the crew that they will send four men by net to the side of the ship near the bunker to tear a hole in the side while the rest of the crew used the distraction to get close to the bunker. Before they could put the plan into action, a lookout spotted a white piece of cloth on the side of the ship, reveling that there were slaves underneath the bunker, with at least eight of them being fighting men. The new plan was to help the slaves escape by giving them a tool to break the chains, while the pirates made noise to cover them. The plan worked, and with the help of the slaves they took the hold. When an improvised explosive device left by Bryson was detonated, a massive explosion occurred. This explosion was seen by the crew of the approaching Scarborough. As the Walrus attempted to escape, the crew realized that they were being slowed by a felled mast from the Andromache that had become entangled with some of the rigging of the Walrus. Flint and Bones went onto the side of the ship to try and cut the felled mast free. While they were attempting this, Flint revealed that he knew Bones had read the letter and asked him the content of it. Before Bones could give the full details to Flint, Bones apparently fell overboard. Because the Walrus could not turn around without risking the ship, the crew of the Walrus could not attempt to rescue Bones. The crew of the Walrus assumed that he must have died and "buried" him at sea by throwing his cutlass overboard into the sea. The crew took the loss of Billy hard, but Gates took it harder than the others, blaming both himself and Flint for the death of somebody he almost saw as a son. Season Two Billy is first shown on a beach, tied to the ground, and in agony as Captain Hume stands over him. Hume and the crew of the Scarborough have apparently pulled Billy out of the water after he fell overboard. Hume informs Billy that he is being tortured with a technique Hume learned from the Spanish wherein the victim is placed in a leather vest and exposed to the elements. Within six days the leather constricts to the point where it shatters the ribs which in turn puncture the internal organs. Trivia * Billy Bones is a fictional character created by Robert Louis Stevenson. * During the "burial" at sea, it is revealed that his full name is William Bones Manderly. Appearances *''I.'' *''II.'' *''III.'' *''IV.'' *''V.'' *''VI.'' *''VII.'' (Mentioned only) ‎ *''VIII.'' (Mentioned only) ‎ *''VII.'' (Mentioned only) ‎ *''IX.'' (Mentioned only) ‎ *''X.'' Memorable Quotes References Category:Major Characters Category:Male Characters Category:Living Characters Category:Characters Category:Pirate Category:Walrus Crew Category:Quartermasters